Page 91 of SEAL of Valor

Once I’ve carried the last of the bags inside, I scan the room for Reese. She’s in the kitchen, talking to Ryker, while he kneels down and loves on Aragorn. Something Tank says makes her laugh, and my heart leaps at the sound.

What would it feel like to hear that every day for the rest of my life?

“I take it things with Reese have smoothed out?” Zane asks as he comes to stand beside me.

I clear my throat. “Yeah. You could say that. Facing down death puts things into perspective.”

“Like what you can live with and what you can’t live without?”

I nod. “Pretty much.”

Zane gently clasps a hand on my shoulder. “Brother, it’s good to have you back.”

Before I can ask him what he means, he moves past me and into the kitchen. Reese starts handing out plates; then everyone begins piling pizza on and carrying them into the dining room.

My appetite has been practically nonexistent today, but I grab a slice of pepperoni and head in, too, taking a seat right next to her while the others file in around us.

Zane bows his head and closes his eyes, and the rest of the table follows. Beneath the table, Reese reaches over and takes my hand. I lower my head and close my eyes, listening as Zane prays.

“Lord, we thank You for this food You have blessed us with. Please let it nourish our bodies. Thank You for being with our families as they travel; God, please wrap Your protection around them and keep them safe. Please guide us as we move into these next days, and let all that happens be aligned to Your will. We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.”

“Amen,” everyone murmurs.

“Amen,” I add.

All eyes turn to me. The corners of Zane’s lips lift in a relieved smile, while Sawyer arches a brow. “We have planning to get to, right?” I ask, hoping to shift the attention. It’s been years since I prayed with a meal. Nearly twenty, to be exact.

And even though I was always respectful of my team, I never took part when they did.

Until tonight. But that doesn’t mean I want attention on me.

Chapter 27

Reese

“Any word on what they’re planning to do to track her down?” Garrison asks Zane, who shakes his head.

“Caldwell doesn’t seem too interested in calling me back. He says that he doesn’t answer to us, and our only assignment is to sit tight and stay off her radar.”

“I thought we didn’t work for them anymore?” Sawyer adds, sarcasm dripping from his tone.

As I sit here, surrounded by these larger-than-life Navy SEALs, it’s so hard for me to see them doing anything—well—normal.

Sawyer is a mechanic, but he’s also apparently fantastic with communications.

Garrison—a counselor for teens—excels in blowing stuff up.

Ryker is huge—literally built like a tank.

And Zane is the mastermind behind it all.

I glance over at Weston, whose gaze is trained intently on whatever Zane is saying. They call him Cowboy, which makes sense from the ranch perspective. But is there more to it than that? Is there a specific reason why he was the one Brenda wanted?

Or is it truly just that she considers him an animal?

“Reese?”

“What?” I turn back toward the table, trying to figure out who called my name, and also feeling mortified that they caught me staring at Weston like he was the last piece of chocolate cake at a dessert bar.